We took a very slow ferry from the V&A across to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for almost 20 years. Prior to the prison, the island was a leper colony and also used as a base during WWII. The prison was built in 1961 and housed thousands of political as well as criminal prisoners until the political prisoners were released in 1991 and the criminal prisoners transferred to the mainland in 1996. The entire island is now a UN World Heritage Site.

The first part of the day was a bus trip around the island, passing the leper graveyard, several churches and the lime quarry where the prisoners worked. The coast is rugged and beautiful and there is also a lot of wildlife - even a large penguin population.

This was followed by a tour of the prison, including Mandela's cell (shown above), lead by another former political prisoner who served along with Mandela. It was fascinating to hear his first hand account of the situation and most incredibly, the fact that all of the prisoners, lead and inspired by Mandela, have forgiven those who had injustly inprisoned them, firmly believing that they must all work together for the good of South Africa.